Be With You
by Zaney HacknSlash
Summary: Companion piece for Be With Me: in short, Nappa's thoughts and feelings toward his young prince. Complete.


Nappa pulled himself out of the pod and groaned a little, rubbing the side of his head. He was fairly concerned by a bruise there, but he was trying to hide his discomfort from the Prince. It wouldn't do to get the kid all scared after all. Besides, Nappa wasn't very good at expressing himself. He never had been. He supposed that was because of his father and his expectations. Of course, that didn't matter now...

Raditz was standing off to the side of the landing pad, arms folded. Nappa followed Vegeta over to him. The young Prince's emotional breakdown was gone now, the tears had faded, his confession about missing his parents in the past. He was in charge again, confident and cocky and ready to give orders. Raditz bowed a little when he saw him, "My Prince. Are you all right? It seems you've taken some damage."

Vegeta shrugged, "Not very much."

Nappa barely contained a smirk. Vegeta really thought the world of himself, that was obvious. At times it was amusing that two men like Raditz and himself, both over two hundred pounds and almost eight feet tall, would bend to the every whim of a seven-year-old, but it was no mystery why. That was just as it was supposed to be. Nappa had been raised by in a loyalist family, taught to believe and obey everything the royals said. For him it wasn't a question of age or of strength, it was a question of loyalty, and it always had been.

"We ought to get you to the recovery room." Raditz said casually, in a way that told Nappa that he already knew that it was no good to tell Vegeta to go to the infirmary. In the last year and a half Vegeta had taken himself to the infirmary a grand total of three times, and that had only been when he was on the absolute verge of death.

"We'll see Frieza first." Vegeta said gruffly.

Both of them fell into step behind him, Nappa first and then Raditz.

Raditz didn't understand loyalty like Nappa did, and Nappa knew it. Nappa was well-born and well-bred, he had been raised to be a commander in the Saiyan King's army, bred to guard the Prince's life at any cost. Raditz didn't really see the point in obeying Vegeta. He thought of him as a young, foolish child, not an all-important monarch. The first few days after the destruction of their home planet Raditz had been rebellious, and even rude to Prince Vegeta. That had been until Nappa had shoved him against a wall, pinned him by the throat, looked him deep in the eyes and told him, without flinching, that if he didn't get his act together and start treating Prince Vegeta with respect he would kill him.

Vegeta knew that of course, but he'd never said thank-you. He never did. He probably thought he could have handled Raditz himself. In a few more years, if he kept getting stronger at the rate he was, he could. Seven was young, even for Saiyans, but Prince Vegeta had always displayed characteristics of age beyond his years. He was dealing with the loss of his family better than Nappa was. In a few more years, Nappa thought, the Prince might not even care anymore that everything was gone. Nappa knew he'd never stop caring.

And by the time Vegeta was a teenager...Nappa knew he wouldn't be needed anymore.

Frieza knew that too. That was the scary part. A long time ago he'd seen how powerful Vegeta was and he had envied that power. From that point on he had wanted Vegeta for his own, for a minion, a soldier, a replacement for Zarbon--something. He had gotten it too. Nappa wasn't sure how he'd done it, but somehow Frieza had convinced the King to give up his only son,

If Nappa had known the King's plan he would have killed him. Vegeta was worth ten Kings: the Prince was twice as strong as his father had been at his age. And the King had been a fool to put Vegeta's life in danger. He knew it was treasonous to think such thoughts, he knew Vegeta would be angry if he knew his bodyguard thought that, but Nappa's loyalty didn't lie with the King.

The three of them stepped through the doorway that led into Frieza's castle and walked past a line of guards that were standing at attention. They found themselves following a long, dark hall way with very dim, blue light and high, round windows that Nappa could barely see out of. At the far end of the corridor was a large, blank door with a single emblem in the middle. It was the emblem of the civilization that had once resided on this planet.

It was rare to find Frieza staying on a planet. Normally he was off, marauding the universe, killing, taking whatever he wanted. If there was one person in existence Nappa hated it was the tyrant. He had taken everything Nappa had cared about. Everything but Vegeta. And he knew that the Emperor would take that too. Some day. When Vegeta was older, a teenager, when the rebellious poisons were dripping down his spine, and he didn't want to listen anymore, Frieza would take him too.

The guards at the door opened it for the trio and Vegeta stepped through first. The room inside was large and spacious, occupied by nothing but Frieza's throne. It was almost completely dark, and the far wall was taken up completely by a window. Zarbon and Dodoria were standing on either side of their master and Frieza was sipping a glass of something. Possibly wine. He smiled coldly at them.

"Lord Freiza," Vegeta's young voice was strange in the darkness, "we have returned."

"Welcome back, my little monkies. How did you deal with the uprising?"

"It's been completely subdued, my Lord."

Nappa felt sick at hearing the Prince speak so respectfully to this disgusting monster.

"Very good." He stood up suddenly, making Nappa jump, "well Prince, it looks to me you took a nasty clip in the side there."

Vegeta's voice was low, "It's only skin deep, Sire."

"You poor boy. You ought to have gone to see the doctor before coming here. I wouldn't want you to do anything that would strain your health."

"It's not too bad."

Frieza looked sharply at Nappa, "What's your story Nappa?"

"My story?"

"I was under the impression that it's become your comitment to protect Vegeta."

"It is sir...we got separated."

Freiza's eyes burned cruelly, "Separated? Well that won't do."

"Never mind him," Vegeta said coldly, "I'm fine."

"Can I help it if I'm concerned for your well-being, Prince? You are one of my greatest assets."

Vegeta growled, "My health is my business, it has nothing to do with you."

Nappa stared at the Prince. He was getting a cold feeling in his gut. What was Vegeta trying to do? Talking to Freiza like that could be disastrous.

"My dear boy, _you_ are my business, every bit of you, your health, your development, your strength. I don't think you understand Vegeta: your life and blood belong to me, _you_ belong to me. It was not your choice to be here was it?"

Vegeta raised his chin a little, "With all due respect _sire, _you don't own me, I belong to myself."

Frieza was right in Vegeta's face, an icy look on his lips, "Is that what you think? Well, I don't know if you remember Vegeta, but your father _gave_ you to _me_."

"My father's dead. That's thanks to you, isn't it?"

Nappa clenched a fist. He could feel intensity drifting around him, looked at Zarbon and Dodoria were watching intently. He exchanged glances with Raditz, opened his mouth to warn Vegeta.

Freiza just stared at the Prince a moment, almost looking shocked, and then he suddenly slapped his face with his open hand, practically knocking the boy on his back.

"You ungrateful little bastard! Do you know what's thanks to me? I saved your life--I got you off that planet before it blew! I gave you a place to sleep, food to eat, a job to keep you out of trouble! I'm the only reason you're not a homeless waif!"

Vegeta glared up at him, lips trembling and bleeding, black eyes watering slightly. His cheek was reddened, "You killed my father, and I know it. You destroyed my planet, you-"

Freiza cocked his arm back a second time, threateningly.

In an instant, Nappa was on his feet, his soul on fire with rage. He stepped in front of Vegeta and glared down at the emperor, "Don't you touch him!" he snarled.

The air trembled with antimosity, Nappa's breathing was heavy as he stared down at Freiza, knowing full well that he was throwing his life away. All eyes were on him. He felt afraid, but more than that, he felt angry. He didn't care what they thought.

"Stand down Nappa," Freiza purred, "there's no need for you to take the punishment of this little fool; after all, you know how children are--they have to be disciplined."

"I won't allow this. You can't get away with hitting the Saiyan Prince like that."

"Nappa." Raditz hissed.

Freiza drew his lips tightly and gave Nappa a nasty look. He struck so hard and so fast that Nappa didn't even see it coming. The next thing he knew he was on his back and pain was shooting all through the right side of his face like the bones were broken. He lay there and looked back at Freiza, felt the blood dribbling from his eye and ear.

"And you'll not take advantage of my mercy. Tell me Nappa, what gives you the right? What makes you think you're good enough to tell me whether or not I can do whatever I want with the Prince of the Saiyans? You're not even intelligent to understand what's happened. The Saiyan race is dead."

The fury in Nappa was so powerful it took all he had to control it. He was moments from attacking. It would be so easy--just jump up and blast him, just snap his neck. Freiza couldn't really be stronger than he was...

He felt a hand on his shoulder as he sat up, looked down at the Prince. Vegeta was back on his feet. His face was starting to bruise and his lip was gushing blood, but there was a look of understanding in his eyes as he looked at Freiza.

"You three may leave now," Freiza said, sitting back in his throne, "I have no more need for you."

Nappa forced himself to his feet, touching his face to make sure that it was all intact.

"And don't expect payment for this job. You've all disappointed me--you're simply lucky that I don't have you killed."

Vegeta turned away without a word, cast a sharp look at Nappa and Raditz, as if to tell them it was time to go, and then he walked away, back through the door and into the hall. His back and shoulders were regid with either anger or pain. Raditz was right behind him.

Reluctantly, Nappa followed his companions. Before he stepped through the threshhold he heard Freiza laughing a little, "Oh, and Nappa,"

Still overwhelmed by anger, the bodyguard looked at him.

"Do keep a better eye on _my_ little Prince. You see, I'm sure he'll be quite powerful some day and I wouldn't want him to die prematurely. Also," he stirred his beverage a little, "I worry that you're getting attached. That is ill-advised: after all, we both know that you and Vegeta can never be what you're hoping for."

Nappa stared back at him for a moment, wiped a thread of blood from his lips. He wanted to say something, his blood demanded a fight, but he heard the Prince calling to him, so he turned away quickly and practically ran out of the room, Freiza's words still in his head.

"You shouldn't have done that." Nappa scolded the Prince, "You should have known that would make him angry."

"I don't care what makes Freiza angry. He thinks he owns me, but some day I'm going to show him otherwise."

"Just be more careful from now on." Nappa growled. "Now you're going to the recovery room, understand?"

"I-"

Not in the mood to hear what Vegeta had to say, Nappa grabbed the Prince's wrist and began to drag him down a separate branch of the hallway to the infirmary. Raditz broke off from them to go to the barracks where the three of them shared a room.

While the doctors took a look at Vegeta, Nappa sat in the waitng room, arms folded, not even blinking, mind and heart full of what Freiza had said.

He was right about one thing, Vegeta would be very powerful someday. More than powerful. Vegeta had the markings of a great warrior. He only needed to be taught the ways of a warrior. Nappa would see to it that he did learn, but he worried that Vegeta would never reach his potential simply because of the environment he was growing up in. Much of being a warrior depended on spiritual strength and depth of soul. Vegeta had the makings of a great leader, of being extremely noble and righteous. The Saiyans had not had a truly noble king in hundreds of years. Kings had been corrupted and eaten by their power and greed and evil for hundreds of years, but Vegeta had a seed of him, a small light that might make him great in more than one way. Nappa knew that he himself was not at all noble or great, so he wasn't sure how to raise a boy into those things. All he knew was that if life continued on this way that seed might be entirely stamped out, and Vegeta would never be anymore that what Freiza had in mind.

Something more bothered Nappa though. He worried that when Vegeta became a great warrior-whether he became a supersaiyan or not-the Prince was going to forget all about him. It was hard to think of, since the bond they shared now was deep and even affectionate in many ways. But if the nobility in him was desecrated Vegeta would become just another corrupted Saiyan Lord, and he would have no need for the man who was his bodyguard as a child.

Unless Nappa somehow became more than that. It was his job to protect Vegeta, but more and more, every day, he felt that something more between them was growing, and perhaps that was what Freiza had meant.

The door to the infirmary snapped open and Vegeta came out, wearing the casual clothes he usually donned when hanging around the castle. He looked vaguely at Nappa, "You should have them look at your face; he really clocked you."

"Never mind me. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a busted lip. A black eye maybe."

Nappa nodded and looked the Prince up and down, saw that the more serious damage had been taken care of, likely in a recovery tank.

Vegeta yawned a little, "I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed."

"All right, let's go." Nappa put a hand on the Prince's shoulder and directed him out of the medical area and toward the barracks. For a while they walked side by side in silence.

"Nappa, what did he say to you?"

"Freiza?"

"Yes. After I left the room. You were still standing there--what did he say?"

Nappa shrugged, "Just a warning,"

"I don't like Freiza's warnings. They're always double-edged."

Nappa couldn't help laughing a little--the Prince sounded so intelligent.

Vegeta glared at him, "Well what was it?"

"Nothing important Veg. Don't worry about it."

They reached their quarters and entered. It was a small room with a latrine, a area for storing clothing and other belongings, and three bunks set at random intervals throughout the room.

"Raditz isn't here." Vegeta noted.

"Probably hitting up the red light district." Nappa murmured.

When the Prince gave him a curious look he added, "Forget him. Get in bed, Prince."

"I hate it when you keep secrets." Vegeta pulled his shirt off and started to shove back the threadbare blankets of his bunk.

"It's no secret, it's...well..."

The boy was watching with those midnight black eyes.

"I'll tell you some day...when you're older."

Rolling his eyes a little, Vegeta climbed into the bunk and turned with his back to Nappa, "Are you going to bed?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Are you going to tell me what Freiza said?"

"No. Not today."

"And Raditz?"

"He'll be back, Prince, go to sleep."

There was silence.

"Good night Nappa."

"Night Prince."

In a few more minutes Nappa heard heavy, regular breathing and knew Vegeta was asleep. He went to his own bunk, sat on the edge and pulled a bottle of alcohol out from under it. Then he sat there, watching as the boy slept and taking swigs from the bottle. The substance burned his throat, but it numbed his face and his headache.

This life was so filthy: there was nothing but a wall separating the barracks from the red light district and the red light district from the prison. It was no place for a boy. But then...Vegeta wouldn't be a boy for much longer, and then he'd have to tell him where Raditz went every night. All the truths would have to be revealed. Maybe some day he'd have to tell Vegeta what Freiza had said.

Nappa was getting too attached. He knew he was, but he didn't want to admit it.

His own father had been a violent and tempramental drunk who beat Nappa and his brothers regularly and hated children, but Nappa had overcome that dynamic somehow. He had no children of his own, and still, somehow he felt that in a way he did. The King had made a mistake. He'd made a choice that had endangered and ruined the life of his only son. He had lost something he couldn't get back, and then he'd died regardless. But Nappa wasn't going to make that mistake. His mind wasn't distorted and blurred by riches or power. He knew what was important, and he intended to hold onto it.

Taking another swig, Nappa tried to remember when it had started, tried to recall the exact moment when he realized he loved Vegeta, that he'd do anything for him, no matter what the Prince did or said. It was lost in time, but it was there, important, deciding, and that one moment, that singular emotion, that love, had changed everything. He couldn't think of Vegeta as just his Prince, not when he loved him like this. Not when he would die for him without a thought.

Some day, he recognized, that emotion would cease. Vegeta would become an adult, he'd forget about Nappa. The father-son relationship they had would dissipate. Freiza was right: Nappa could never have what he was hoping for, and yet he continued to hope, to look, to ask. If Vegeta noticed he didn't let on that he did. He might never see it as it was. He might always be too caught up in himself. No matter. The emotion was real. The sacrificial spirit was alive.

Nappa stood, leaving the bottle by his bed, went and stood over Vegeta, looked down into the sleeping face. The Prince looked young and innocent with his black hole eyes closed. He looked like any other child, not a Prince, but he could see the beginnings of the regal markings on his features: the straight, aristocratic nose, the high forehead and strong cheekbones.

Some day he would become the lord he was meant to be. Some day he would become the King.

Nappa reached his hand out. It was trembling.

Until then...

He touched the soft, black hair, petted it gently.

Until then he was all Nappa had to care for, all he had to love, and that day when it didn't matter, that day Freiza spoke of, that would be the day he died. The day Vegeta didn't care anymore. Until then he would always be there, hell or high water, through blood and death, he would always be there for Vegeta.

_By my life or my death, I'll always be with you._

"Nappa?" Vegeta looked up at him. "What are you doing?"

The bodyguard didn't answer.

He closed his eyes and wished.


End file.
